Email archiving is an application that accumulates, index and provide quick, searchable access to email messages independent of the users of the system using a couple of different technical methods of implementation. The primary function of email archiving software is to capture and maintain all email traffic flowing into and out of the email server so it can be accessed immediately at a later date from a centrally managed location. If you are looking for an open source email archiving software, then read on.

There are several email archiving applications that support most major email messaging systems, and they can be installed locally or they can be outsourced to a hosted service.

Aside from email and attachments, some email archiving applications can also archive additional aspects of a mailbox including public folders, offline PST files, calendars, contacts, notes, and associated metadata and context.

At the moment, I only know one open source email archiving software that is quite popular and competitive. Its name is MailArchiva.

From its project website, MailArchiva is described as...

"a state-of-the-art email archiving system for companies of all sizes. It works in conjunction with popular mail systems to archive all incoming, outgoing and internal emails."

"Companies, educational institutions, NGO's and government agencies around the world rely on MailArchiva to archive millions of their emails for long term storage."

MailArchiva actually comes in two editions: the Open Source Edition (OSE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). See HERE to compare their features.

If you want to download MailArchiva, you will have to sign-up HERE first.

If you know of other open source email archiving software, you may share them with us via comment.